Twilight

Having made two of the most insightful, affectionate films about teenagers with "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Clueless," Amy Heckerling jumps on the most recent youth bandwagon with "Vamps. " Written and directed by Heckerling, "Vamps" isn't quite the low-hanging logline of "Clueless" meets "Twilight" though in some respects it is about the twilight of cluelessness - or how age and maturity do not necessarily equal the onset of fogey-dom, but rather offer a sense of greater understanding and seeing beyond oneself.

I'm really disappointed with TV's "Misfits of Science," "Twilight Zone" and "Amazing Stories." They really are dumb, too technical and unamazing, in that order. I expected lots of action and adventure, but so far they all are very boring. Tom Lovelace, Hollywood

Showtime Networks said it acquired the rights for up to 42 movies released by Summit Entertainment, including the independent studio's new blockbuster, "Twilight." The premium cable network, one of the most profitable units of CBS Corp., will have access to Summit movies released from 2008 through 2012, including all films in the "Twilight" franchise. Summit Entertainment plans to release 10 to 12 films a year. This year Showtime did not renew its existing deals with major studios Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Lionsgate Entertainment in a dispute over price.

James Franco has Kristen Stewart fever, y'all. Franco sang the praises of the actress Thursday, saying her talent -- and not "Twilight" -- is responsible for her meteoric rise. In one of his frequent blog posts for the Huffington Post, Franco reviews Stewart's "Snow White and the Huntsman," telling readers that she's deserving of attention for her performance (and all those prior) rather than the voracious interest in her off-screen life. "Stewart has braved more scrutiny of her private life than most presidents,” Franco writes . “She has taken big career risks by doing films like'Welcome to the Rileys,"The Runaways' and'On the Road' (nudity, I hear)

Combining Hollywood's two biggest independent film studios and the blockbuster young adult franchises "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games" into one powerful entity, Lions Gate Entertainment has agreed to acquire Summit Entertainment for $412.5 million in cash and stock. The two Santa Monica companies have engaged in on-and-off merger talks since late 2008 as Lions Gate sought to bolster its library of film and TV properties and Summit's investors tried to cash in on the lightning-in-a-bottle success of the "Twilight" movie series, which has grossed $2.5 billion worldwide over four films.

There's no way to put a pretty frame around this picture. After Catherine Hardwicke delivered an immensely lucrative franchise starter with "Twilight," a film that will put Summit Entertainment on the map, wiping away all the company's other losses and missteps, she was rewarded by being pushed aside, with Summit making it clear over this past weekend that it's beginning work on a "Twilight" sequel without her. There is an enormously complicated back...

It should be noted how the California Angels reward their fans, who in recent years have averaged the best numbers in the league. Gone since the late 1970s are the twilight doubleheaders. Gone, too, are all half-price family nights. Not too long ago, every home Monday night was a family night. And now we can look forward to the 1986 season in which box seats will be $2 more than at Dodger Stadium. Thanks a lot, Angels! ROBERT FLAGG Azusa

Robert Pattinson may still be better at selling tabloids than movie tickets. The "Twilight" star's latest film, "Cosmopolis," opened in limited release this weekend and took in $72,327, according to an estimate from distributor Entertainment One Films. Playing in three theaters, that amounted to a per-location average of $24,109 -- a decent figure, but one far behind some of the year's more successful releases. By comparison, Wes Anderson's breakout success "Moonrise Kingdom" took in an average of $130,749 in the four theaters it launched in back in May. "Cosmopolis," directed by David Cronenberg, debuted at the Cannes Film Festival this spring to mixed response, and has since divided critics -- the film notched a 64% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.